


Arthur no

by orphan_account



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M, Genderswap, M/M, and all the single ladies, fem!merlin, genderbender, good!Morgana, how do you tag a relationship between a man and a woman who is actually a man just not at this time, merlin is a woman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-15
Updated: 2016-02-15
Packaged: 2018-05-20 19:35:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6022264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Merlin becomes a woman so Arthur doesn't have to marry</p>
            </blockquote>





	Arthur no

„Arthur, I will not-“  
„Oh come on, Merlin, what are you, a girl?“  
“Well, not yet but-”  
Merlin cut himself off. He knew it wasn’t a good idea, but ever since Arthur knew about his magic, he came up with the most ridiculous plans. Arthur just wanted to avoid the ball. Why did Uther even come up with ideas like this! Arthur would not marry yet anyways. And Merlin would not- The sorcerer sighed, grabbing the small vascular and swallowed the blueish liquid at once.  
It went dead silent for a moment, both the prince and the sorcerer expecting something to happen. Merlin looked down. But his body was still the same.  
“Merlin, when I said you were useless, I was probably right.” Arthur remarked and shook his head. 

Merlin didn’t sleep well that night. He turned and tossed when he woke up in the middle of the night, he felt like throwing up. He leaned over the edge of his bed. Gaius hasn’t been so happy the last time he tried a transfiguration spell. It hasn’t been his fault though, that the bread had transformed into a toad when he already had swallowed it. Merlin froze, when he noticed something soft falling on his bare back. A long strand of hair touched his cheek. Oh no. Please don’t. Nausea came over him and he leaned forward once more, forced to look down on his bare chest. Boobs. Merlin panicked, grabbing them in disbelief. When he heard a noise he crawled back in his back, covering his chest with the rough fabric of his blanket. He waited, eyes wide open. After a few moments his pulse slowed down again and he breathed normally. 

“ARTHUR.”  
Merlin cringed. His voice was high pitched and shrill.  
“ARTHUR.” He stamped, arms crossed and waited for the royal dumbass to wake up. He did so, not fast enough, in Merlin’s eyes. The sorcerer- sorceress- grabbed him and shook him, trying not to lose the blanket he wrapped himself in.  
Arthur looked up to him, sleepy and confused.  
“What are you doing in my chambers?” he asked reproachfully.  
“It’s me, Arthur. It’s me, Merlin.” The woman said.  
“Mer-“ The prince stopped as he noticed something familiar in the stranger’s face.  
“Holy-… Merlin! What…!? And why, for god’s sake, are you naked?”  
“Thank you, I was worried for a second that you would be irritated by the fact that I aM A WOMAN.”  
“Merlin, why didn’t you just put on your normal clothes?!”  
“Because fitting into your normal clothes isn’t as easy when you got more to cover than usual!”  
“Oh my god, you’re a woman!”  
“Thank you for noticing!”

Arthur told Merlin to wait behind the screen until he got him some clothes from Morgana. The prince watched him go there, almost tripping over the blanket. He sighed at his clumsiness. How did he even get past the guards? He turned around and made his way to Morgana’s chambers, creeping past the guards, quietly opening the wardrobe. How many dresses did a woman have to have? Anyway, at least the king’s ward wouldn’t notice when one was missing. Arthur chose a blue one. It would go well with Merlin’s eyes. Wh-what? Why did he even-  
“Arthur. What are you doing in my wardrobe?”  
The prince froze when he heard Morgana’s voice.  
“Are you…. Are you stealing one of my dresses?”  
Arthur turned around with a ridiculous attempt to hide the dress behind his back.  
“Um… no.”  
“Good. Just make sure you’ll return it one day.” Morgana smiled and went back to sleep as Arthur slowly backed outside and returned to his chambers. 

“Merlin”, he whispered, handing him the clothing. “Here.”  
Then he waited, listening to the rustling of the noble cloth and Merlin’s random sighing behind the screen.  
“Merlin.”, he whispered after a few minutes. “Are you okay.”  
“Arthur, I am currently trying to put on a dress. Because I have boobs. Not just boobs, I have woman’s body. How okay do you think I am.”  
….  
“Do you need help.”  
“Yes please.”  
The prince stepped behind the screen and in a sad attempt to help his manservant coordinate they both tumbled down and they ended up in a rather…. Inconvenient position, Arthur on top, Merlin half-dressed, both nose to nose. After an awkward moment of silence the sorcerer asked:  
“Arthur?”  
“Yes?”  
“Do you mind getting off me?”  
“Oh. Of course. Sorry.” He struggled to get up and offered Merlin a hand.

It took them twenty five minutes and several awkward moments in awkward positions to get Merlin dressed, but eventually they managed. The sunlight already peeked through the curtains as they stepped from behind the screen. Merlin looked down in disappointment.  
“What’s wrong?” Arthur sighed, crossing his arms.  
“Apart from me being a woman?”  
“Stop complaining. You’ll find a cure.”  
“Not that bad of a sorcerer now, huh?” Merlin smiled sheepishly.  
“Sorceress.”  
“Thank you for putting salt in an open wound.”  
“Really, Merlin. What’s the problem?”  
The magician was silent for a moment.  
“Morgana has bigger breasts than me.”  
“Oh my god.” Arthur sighed. 

The prince guided Merlin down the stairs, helping him with his dress, when the King’s voice resounded.  
“Arthur!”  
They both looked up in horror. Uther and Gaius were standing on the bottom of the stairs.  
“And who is this lovely lady?” he smiled at Merlin and took a few steps towards him, gently taking his hand and kissing it. The manservant cringed, but tried to smile, as he had seen Morgana do. He bowed his head a bit.  
“My lord-“  
Arthur interrupted him.  
“Father. I should probably tell you….” He cleared his throat. “This is the Lady Emrys. We-“ He reached out to Merlin’s hand. Gaius raised an eyebrow.  
“The Lady Emrys is guest here in Camelot, and as I have shown here signs of my affection, she agreed to go on a picnic with me.”  
Uther still smiled, now visibly a gesture of fake politeness. Gaius’ eyebrow was now reaching unknown heights.  
“Arthur, I ask you to spare me some of your time after your picnic. Lady Emrys.” The king greeted them both with a small bow of his head and rushed off to wherever kings go when they learn that their only son and heir had a girlfriend.  
Both Merlin and Arthur were relieved when Uther left. They watched him go and Arthur let go of Merlin’s hand. They turned around, just to see Gaius stepping closer.  
“My lord, have you seen Merlin today?”  
Arthur said no, along with a few accusations. Merlin stiffed next to him.  
But Gaius nodded and smiled his small smile.  
“If you need anything, you know where to find me. My Lord, Merlin. ” He greeted and stepped away. 

Arthur has headed off to the king’s chambers a while ago, so Merlin found himself sitting alone in the prince’s rooms. As soon as he had left he rushed to the mirror, inspecting his new body. His hair was long, still black as ebony wood. The long strands of hair were curled. She- He tried out a few looks, but he found that his hair open, framing the sharp, but clearly female face, looked best. His eyes were a bit bigger than usual, his lashes long and dark. He looked down on the reflection of his lips, softly touching them with his new, feminine fingers.  
As he tried to whisper a spell, his voice broke. He cleared his throat softly, trying again. He wasn’t quite sure, what he did, but was he ever really sure? He closed his eyes, as they flashed golden.  
When he opened them again, he looked at his reflection and smiled. The dress fit perfectly now, no longer too big. A silvery touch covered the dark blue fabric, emphasizing Merlin’s small hips. When he looked in the mirror, he noticed the silver blue shades around his eyes. His hair wasn’t messy anymore, now smooth and silky.  
Merlin jerked when the door fell into its angles. When he turned around, he was relieved to see Arthur standing there.  
“What’d he say?” he asked, noticing the worry in Arthur’s eyes.  
“Father still wants to hold the ball.” He sighed and ran his hand through his hair.  
“You could, um, I could be your girlfriend.” Merlin suggested.  
“No offense, Merlin, but I can’t marry you.”  
“You’re only jealous, because I’m pretty.”  
“Idiot.”  
“Pratt.”

Of course Merlin ended up being his girlfriend. Of all the people, him. Arthur could have every woman in the whole kingdom, and his only possibility of escaping marriage was being fake female Merlin’s boyfriend.  
In times like this Arthur regretted not being a hermit living in the caves in the middle of nowhere.  
“Merlin! You’re not an actual woman! You don’t have to dress up!” the prince shouted, tired of waiting.  
“Did you know that there are at least 132 different possibilities to style your hair, Arthur? And I’m still counting!” Merlin replied from behind the screen.  
He ended up leaving his hair as it was. 

They went downstairs, to the great hall in which countless women waited for Arthur to notice them. Everyone who was important enough was there. Even Gwaine, but he was only there for the many Ladies which attended the ball. So it wasn’t a surprise that they met Sir Leon at the door to the hall.  
“My Lord.” Leon greeted. “And who do I have the pleasure to meet, my lady?”  
“Sir Leon, this is Lady Emrys.” Arthur introduced. Leon kissed his hand. Merlin’s, not Arthur’s. Merlin cringed. Why did men always insist on kissing?  
“She um…” Arthur paused, awkwardly putting his hands on Merlin’s hips and pulling him closer. “is my girlfriend.”  
Merlin forced a smile and nodded. This seemed to be everything that was expected from a proper lady.  
“Really?” Sir Leon looked puzzled. He probably questioned why Uther would hold a feast in that case.  
“Yes, um…” Arthur didn’t know what to say or what to do with his mouth so he pressed it against Merlin’s, only for a second, only the softest touch.

And after what followed that night, Merlin didn’t regret turning himself into a woman.

**Author's Note:**

> i am really sorry I am too lazy for a proper ending so here have some Merthur even though I don't really ship it


End file.
